The United Kingdom will be the host of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, the European Broadcasting Union and BBC confirmed Monday.
Britain will stage Eurovision after the EBU decided in June that “with deep regret” Ukraine would be unable to host, given Russia’s ongoing deadly invasion of the country. Ukraine won an emotional 2022 edition — with Kalush Orchestra racking up a record popular vote after performing a catchy folk-rap tune — and would ordinarily have become the host of the following year’s event.
But as the 2022 runner-up, the U.K. was asked to step in as host country.
A host city will be chosen in the coming months, and a bidding contest will start this week. U.K. cities including Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester have already expressed interest in hosting.
Ukraine will still be a big part of the event, given its status as reigning champion. It will automatically qualify for the Grand Final along with the so-called Big 5 — the group of countries that make the biggest financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union, which includes the U.K.
The show will also incorporate Ukrainian elements, including the logo, which will be designed to reflect “the cooperation between the host country and this year’s winners.”